East Naples Civic & Commerce Celebrates a New Beginning

There was a lot to celebrate at the East Naples Civic Association Banquet on Thursday, January 20, 2022. Held at the Players Club and Spa in Lely, the ENCA and East Naples Business Group voted in their new association: East Naples Civic & Commerce, a combination of the civic and merchant associations. The merger of the two associations further solidifies the commitment community and business leaders have in making sure that East Naples concerns are heard at the county level. Jacob Winge, President of ENCA said “we want to support small and local businesses and local businesses want to be involved in what is going on. We are all affected by growth and traffic, by safety and by our environment. We saw an opportunity to bring the two organizations together.” The new organization and its bylaws were approved by vote with Winge being confirmed as President for a second year. The new board members, also approved during the banquet, come from both the community and local businesses.

Another topic of discussion related to the work the associations did during the redistricting process. Winge notes that while their vision didn’t get approved, they are “going to work within the new district lines and make sure that we keep East Naples a united community,” something Winge believes “Commissioner LoCastro will also be invested in that as well.” Winge also notes that there are two commission races this year, “one now taking up a big chunk of East Naples (District Four),” and that East Naples Civic & Commerce “will be involved with working along on that election as we have in all elections that affect East Naples.”

East Naples Civic & Commerce, along with the East Naples Foundation, has a scholarship program for students attending Lely and Lorenzo Walker. This year, they hope to get the scholarship to the $10,000 level to make a substantial impact on the kids in the East Naples School System.

The most anticipated event of the evening was the announcement of the Citizen of the Year. Michael A. Harp, Senior Army Instructor at Lely High School achieved that honor. Harp has headed the JROTC for the last twelve years. In accepting the award, Harp said “I was blessed with the opportunity to work with the kids. We averaged, in our classroom, over 2.5 million dollars a year in scholarships alone.” Harp credits his upbringing “from a very poor family in Philadelphia” as the impetus to work with the kids at Lely. The Citizen of the Year award caps a great run for Harp. “I told the kids today that I am retiring this year,” said Harp. “I have a wife of 38 years and I want to keep her so we are going to do whatever she wants for the next 38 years. I am very blessed to have her.”

And for the first time in association history, the nominating committee created a Member of the Year Award. The first winner? “Our Energizer bunny” Jacob Winge. Winge, surprised by the recognition, thanked his wife and said “we both started our leadership journey in the JROTC programs in our public school systems and it certainly makes an impact. I think we are both proof of that.”